Quick starting arrangement for fluorescent lamps



y 1950 M. BERLAND ETAL 2,513,840

I QUICK STARTING ARRANGEMENT FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS Filed Dec. 12, 1949 Sheets-Sheet l I I I I I In ventord I I I l I I I l 1 I I I I l l I I I I I 1 I i 4175713 Ber/and Melvin Spieg/er By [7mm Wyn way 3m July 4, 1950 M. BERLAND El'AL QUICK STARTING ARRANGEMENT Fo FLuoREscEN LAMPS Filed Deq. 12. 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventoni' Marion Ber/and Melvin Spicy/er By w and

006: pun; 3M

Patented July 4, 1950 QUICK STARTING ARRANGEMENT FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS Morton Berland and.Melvin Spiegler,

St. Paul, Minn.

Application December 12, 1949,-Serial'No. 132,565

This invention relates to glow discharge devices, and more particularly quick starting arrangement for fluorescent lamps or other electric discharge tubes having a gaseous filling.

An object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for glow discharge devices in which the time required for startingthe discharge is substantially reduced.

Since the cathode of a hot cathode tube must fore a glow discharge or light producing discharge can be started in the tube, it is a further object of the invention to provide means to maintain the electrodes of the fluorescent lamp or other tube in a heated condition at all times $01 that the light producing discharge can be formed in the tubes almost instantly upon closing of the selector switch provided for that purpose.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel relay device comprising a glow tubein which a standard minimum time relay required to cause a themostatically operated pair of contacts to open within the glow tube is provided.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel relay means including a, glow tube having thermostatically controlled contacts therein, which is highly emcient in operation, simple in construction and manufacture, and adapted to provide means for starting a fluorescent lamp with a minimum time delay.

Still further objects reside in the provision of another arrangement for quick starting of a fluorescent lamp which consists in providing suitable relays in conjunction with the ballast in an operative circuit adapted to produce a high elec- 5 vtromotive force across the electrodes of the fluorescent lamp to ignite it immediately.

These, together with the various ancillary objects of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, arer attained by these quick starting arrangements for glow discharge devices, several preferredembodiments of which have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a circuit diagram showing the 21-545 rangement of the glow discharge device and quick starting arrangement therefor within'one type of fixture; v

Figure 2 is another circuit diagram similar to that of Figure 1, but showing an alternate ar-- rangement of the elements of the invention;

Figure 3 is a circuit diagram of another form of quick starting arrangement using a relay actu- I ated switch to provide a high electromotivejforce in conjunction with the ballast;

2 Claims. (01.

within the glow tube It. tube [8 are electrically connected to the electrodes l4 and I6.

I not cause the tube to ignite.

Figure 4 is another relay arrangement similar to that of Figure 3, this time however using a pair of current limiting devices in-series with the glow discharge device; and

Figure 5 is a still further circuit diagram showing another starting arrangement for a glow discharge device.

With continuing reference to the accompany- .ing'drawings wherein like reference numerals be heated to a sufiiciently high temperature be;

desi'gnatesimilar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral Ill is used to generally designate a fluorescent lamp fixture, shown schematically by dotted lines, on which a fluorescent tube I2 having electrodes I4 and I6 is adapted to be operatively emplaced. Supported within the fixture H3 is a glow lamp or tube I8 having electrodes 20 and 22 therein. Depending within .the glowtube 18 is a conductor having a contact 24 thereon. A bimetallic conductor 26 having contact 23 attached thereto is also positioned Contacts 28 and 24 of The ballast 30 or impedance adapted to control the flow of current is, as is conventional, connected in series with the tube [2. The electrode 20 of the glow tube I8 is connected through a suitable conductor to the line 32. A current limiting device 34 such as a choke, resistor, condenser or the like is placed in parallel with a shunt 36 which has a manually operated switch 38 therein. Line voltage is applied across the leads 40 and 42 which are connected to a suitable power source.

When light is not desired, the manually operated switch 38 is in the ofi position. Contacts 24 and 28 are in the closed position. Current flows through the current limiting device 34, thetballast 3B, the electrode I 4, the contact 28, the contact 24, electrode l6, and the lead 42. This will ,keep the electrodes I4 and It always at or near operating temperature. The purpose of the choke 34 is to limit the current through the electrodes l4 and I6 to such Values as not to cause the electrodes to burn out too rapidly while permitting current flow of such nature as will The current limiting device 34 is in series with the ballast 30, the voltage across the ballast is insuflicient to cause the tube I8 to glow, therefore, the contacts 24 and 28 will remain closed.

When light is desired, switch 38 is turned to a across the ballast 30 which will be sufficient to the normally closed position.

To turn on the lights, the switch 38 is then. turned to an oil. position so that the line" current will flow through the current limiting device 84' dropping the voltage across the ballast 30'.

Thusly, since the voltage across the ballast'is now insuificient to keepthe glow lampl8 activated, the bimetallic member 26 cools off so that the contacts 24 and 28 will close which causes the fluorescent lamp l2 to stop emitting visible light;

An alternative formof connection of this device shown in Figure 2. However the elements of the device are encased within a fixture Stand-have beenar-ranged in a difierent manner. In-this'embodiment, a resistance 52 is connected in series between the electrode 22 of theglow lamp-i8 and the lead 42 As can be readily-seen, when switch 38 is open, the voltage across 32 and 82 isinsufficient to cause the glow lamp l8-toglow. Therefore, contacts 24 and 28 remain closed which will allow electrodes It and It to be heated yet prevent the lamp l2: from fluorescing. When switch 38 is closedthe' voltage across 32 and dz-will'then-become the-line voltage across 48 and 4-2 so as to cause the glow lamp l8 to glow, heating'u a bimetallic member 26 and causing-the'contacts 24 and 28 to part. Thusly, because of the ensuing high electromotive force the lamp 12 will be ignited.

Referring now in particular to Figure 3,- it will be seenin this case that the glow lamp l8- is eliminated and arelay formed by a solenoid 6-2, connected-in parallel with the series combination of the lamp l2- and ballast 38; and operating switch 64 is provided. The switch 64 is connected in circuit between conductors connecting electrodes l4 and I6. When-the switch 384s open, current applied tosolenoid62=willbe insufficient to actuate the relay and contacts will remain in However when the switch 38 is closed, the switch 64 willspring open, thus causing the high back electromotive force across the electrodes: l4- and [6. This connection is shown schematically and placed'within a casing 68 shown by dotted: lines.

Yet another species of quick starting arrangement which may be mounted: within a fixture 18 shown schematically by dotted lines, is shown in Figure 4. actuates switches 14 and 1 6 which are connected in circuit with currentllimitin'g devices 18which limits current to electrode l6, and 88' which limits current to electrode '4' Switches- 14 and 15 form a double pole single throw switch.

When light is not desired switches T4 and 16' are closed and current flows through thefilaments M and i8; keeping them at or: near operating temperature. When light desired, switches '54 and iii are opened and the' high electromotive 5 l is opened momentarily causing the relay 12 In this arrangement, solenoid 12:

to throw switches 14 and 16 to a closed circuit position. Momentarily closing switch 8| again will open the switches 14 and 18. However, switch 8| can be eliminated and a manually operated double pole single throw switch can be formed by the switches 14 and 16. Relay 12 is know in the art as a latching relay.

Referring now to a preferred embodiment shown in Figure 5, 82- isa bimetallic element which moves to the right when an are forms between it and electrode 84. A stop is provided for element 82 so that it cannot move too far to the right; 86" is another bimetallic element that moves toward 82 when an are forms between element's' 82 and86 or their respective contacts 88 and-90. With switch 38 in the open position, current flows through current limiting device 34, ballast 38, contacts 88 and 98 and electrodes I4 and IE cau'sing the electrodes to stay warm. The voltage between electrode 84 and contact 98 is insufl'icient to cause an arc'to form between them, and" due to: the physical: placement of element 86, am arc never forms-between the electrode 84 and the'element 88-; When'switch 38 is closed, the voltage between 84- and 82 is sufiicient to causean arcbetween them. causing element 82'to heatandbreak contacts 88-and 98. This causes a high back electromotive force to develop between electrodes- 14- and It and ignite the glow discharge-devicefli Ifthe glow discharge device l2 doesrnct ignite,- the-voltage between contacts 88- and 98 is sufiicient to cause an are between them. The heat developed causes element 86 to move, v againclosing contacts 88 and 98. The are between elements 82 and 88' will be extinguished and e1ement 8 6 will cool and move away from element 82'whichwill: again cause a high back electromotive force across electrodes M- and [6. This will repeat itself until ignition occurs or -,-swi-tch 38 is opened. It-should be noted that as long as switch 38=is closed and light [21s on, the arc-between. electrode Wand-contact- 88 is maintained. When switch 38': is opened; the voltage between e'lectrode' 84 and element 82' becomesv insufiicient to maintain an arc and element 82 moves towardielement 88 closing contacts 88- and 98 extinguishing the are between electrodes l4 and [6.

Since: from the; foregoing, the construction and advantages of these quick starting arrangements for fluorescent lamps will be readily apparent, further'description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since rium'erous modifications will readily'occur to those skilled. in theart after a consideration of'th'e foregoing specifications and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiments shown and described,-but all suitable modifications'and 'equivalents" which fall within the scope of theappended claims may be readilyincluded.

Having described theinvention, what is claimed asnewis:

ii A quick starting arrangement for fluorescent lamps, said fluorescent lamp comprising a hot cathode type ofglow discharge device having electrodes at each endbetween which'a light producing dischargetakes place, heating means for said electrodes connected thereto, said means being incapable ofstarting and incapable" of maintaining said light producing discharge, switch means for applying-to said glow discharge device a potential sufiicient' to start said light producing discharge" therethroughinstantly, said switch means controlling the application and'removal of said potential while havingsaid'electrode heating means effective, said switch means comprising a manually operable switch positioned within a shunt across a current limiting device, and relay means responsive to the position of said manually operative switch applying said potential to said electrodes to start said light producing discharge when said switch is in a circuit closed position, said relay means comprising a normally closed solenoid operated switch electrically connected to said glow discharge device.

2. A quick starting arrangement for fluorescent lamps, said fluorescent lamp being operatively connected to opposed leads from a power source comprising a hot cathode type of glow discharge device having electrodes at each end between which a light producing discharge takes place, heating means for said electrodes connected thereto, said means being incapable of starting and incapable of maintaining said light producing discharge, switch means for applying to said glow discharge device a potential sufficient to start said light producing discharge therethrough instantly, said switch means controlling the application and removal of said potential while having said electrode heating means effective, said switch means comprising a manually operable switch positioned within a shunt across a current limiting device, and relay means responsive to the position of said manually operative switch applying said potential to said electrodes to start said light producing discharge when said switch is in a circuit closed position, said relay means comprising a glow tube having electrical contacts therein, one of said contacts being positioned on a bimetallic strip, said 'glow tube providing heat to cause said bimetallic strip to open said contacts when said switch is in a circuit closed position, said glow tube including a spaced electrode separate from said contacts, said electrode of said glow tube being operatively electrically connected to one of said opposed leads when said switch means is in an open position, said contacts being electrically connected to said electrodes of said glow discharge device and causing a high back electromotive force in conjunction with the ballast on said electrodes when said contacts are open.

MORTON BERLAND.

MELVIN SPIEGLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,256,249 Harris et a1 Sept. 16, 1941 2,274,399 Cook Feb. 24, 1942 2,373,402 Lecorguillier Apr. 10, 1945 2,464,748 Hodgkins Mar. 15, 1949 

